DIY - SMALL Gravity Fed/FLOAT ATO (for Nano Deskmate)

[Haggisman14]

Hello everyone! I've got a Deskmate Classic, and want to finally get an ATO on this. I've been going back and forth between getting a Jaebo doser, and just putting in the same amount daily.

What I would love to do is have a small mechanical float valve that I put in the last chamber of the tank. Only problem is, it's a very small area that I have to work with:

2 1/4" wide, 1 1/2" deep (due to the return pipe).

Everything I've found online looks to be too big to fit, but maybe there is some place that I'm missing on looking.

Thank you!

 

[cdemoss01]

Hello everyone! I've got a Deskmate Classic, and want to finally get an ATO on this. I've been going back and forth between getting a Jaebo doser, and just putting in the same amount daily.

What I would love to do is have a small mechanical float valve that I put in the last chamber of the tank. Only problem is, it's a very small area that I have to work with:

2 1/4" wide, 1 1/2" deep (due to the return pipe).

Everything I've found online looks to be too big to fit, but maybe there is some place that I'm missing on looking.

Thank you!

Awesome! Goodluck!

 

[Haggisman14]

Afternoon Bump

 

[cdemoss01]

Afternoon Bump

What does that mean exactly? Ive seen people say bump a lot.

 

[Haggisman14]

What does that mean exactly? Ive seen people say bump a lot.

To "bump" the thread back up to the top to get more eyes on it

 

[Haggisman14]

Anyone with some suggestions. I really prefer to go with a mechanical method rather than working with something that works off of a plug!

Any suggestions of small mechanical floats would be appreciated!

 

[VintageReefer]

SKEMIX Auto Top Off Water Filler Aquarium Mini ATO System Fish Tortoise Tank Water Level Controller No Wiring Float Valve https://a.co/d/9UCO3OU

Have this. It actually works good. Pick whatever bottle you like that screws on

 

[Jason Scalise]

Anyone with some suggestions. I really prefer to go with a mechanical method rather than working with something that works off of a plug!

Any suggestions of small mechanical floats would be appreciated!

take a look at my build thread here. I installed a mechanical float for my ATO in the back chamber of my AIO IM Nuvo 20g. Gravity fed ATO.
Not sure what your tank dimensions but I also had very limited space. If nothing else, perhaps this may give you some ideas?

 

[GK3]

Hello everyone! I've got a Deskmate Classic, and want to finally get an ATO on this. I've been going back and forth between getting a Jaebo doser, and just putting in the same amount daily.

What I would love to do is have a small mechanical float valve that I put in the last chamber of the tank. Only problem is, it's a very small area that I have to work with:

2 1/4" wide, 1 1/2" deep (due to the return pipe).

Everything I've found online looks to be too big to fit, but maybe there is some place that I'm missing on looking.

Thank you!

Do a gravity fed ato. I don’t think you’ll find a float valve that small. You have to have enough boyant force to close the valve and thus they are usually a bit bigger.

 

[JayM]

I second gravity flow. Finding a float small enough and reliable enough might be tough.

Using a doser without some sort of level sensor could be disastrous unless by some miracle your evaporation rate is exactly the same every day.

 

[AquaLogic]

Anyone have success with something like the Duetto or Fzone? I'd prefer not to have a bottle sticking up for a gravity fed ato.

 

[MoshJosh]

These are they types I have used on nano tanks. . .

Float valve:

Or gravity/vacuum:

The smallest, commercial, float I can think of is going to be the IceCap magnetic float Valve (does not have the bulky glass mount piece of the Eshoppes one I have). . . but still probably too big. I wonder if you could modify a commercially available float with a smaller "ball", maybe replace it with a piece of foam?

 

[Ernie Mccracken]

I had a nurce many moons ago. Worked perfectly, not a single moving part.

 

[VintageReefer]

Anyone have success with something like the Duetto or Fzone? I'd prefer not to have a bottle sticking up for a gravity fed ato.

I think those are the same things just different brands. I use it, and am very happy. It has a magnetic unit that is compact. it will auto fill to arrow 1 and maintain water at arrow 1.
If there is a failure for some reason and it goes past arrow 1, then arrow 2 is a sensor to kill the pump to prevent overflow. There is also a timer and if it runs too long it will also kill pump(if sensor gets damaged / dirty and doesn’t detect water). The kit comes with everything you need except a water container.

 

[AquaLogic]

I think those are the same things just different brands. I use it, and am very happy. It has a magnetic unit that is compact. it will auto fill to arrow 1 and maintain water at arrow 1.
If there is a failure for some reason and it goes past arrow 1, then arrow 2 is a sensor to kill the pump to prevent overflow. There is also a timer and if it runs too long it will also kill pump(if sensor gets damaged / dirty and doesn’t detect water). The kit comes with everything you need except a water container.

Thanks, I think I’m going to go for one of those. There is such limited space in the desk mate.